Seriously. This map suggests that unless you live in California, a smattering of states out East, or a small handfull of other states sprinkled across the country, you're looking at a very grave problem when it comes to scientific illiteracy in your community's youth (and, presumably, its population in general). Come to think of it, this map should really concern you, no matter where you live.

Standards are the foundation upon which educators build curricula, write textbooks and train teachers– they often take the form of a list of facts and skills that students must master at each grade level. Each state is free to formulate its own standards, and numerous studies have found that high standards are a first step on the road to high student achievement.

But the undermining of unifying scientific concepts isn't the only hurdle the country is facing. The report also calls attention to vague goals, a shoddy implementation of the concept of scientific inquiry into lesson plans, and a lack of instruction in mathematics, as well.

At least 26 states have signed on to an effort to write new, common "Next Generation Science Standards" that will be more rigorous and specific than what many states currently have on the books. To read more about that effort, visit http://www.nextgenscience.org/ or http://www.achieve.org/ or read the document upon which the standards will be based here.